Differentiation

Analytical Methods
 Introduction to Derivatives

• It is all about slope!

Slope = Change in Y
Change in X

But how do we find the slope at a point?

There is nothing to measure!
 Let us Find a Derivative
• We will use the slope formula:
Slope = Change in Y /Change in X = Δy /Δx to
find the derivative of a function y = f(x)
• And follow these steps:
• Fill in this slope formula:
• Δy/ Δx = f(x+Δx) − f(x) /Δx
• Simplify it as best we can,
• Then make Δx shrink towards zero.
• We write dx instead of "Δx heads towards 0",
so "the derivative of" is commonly written

X2 =2X

"The derivative of x2 equals 2x"

or simply "d dx of x2 equals 2x"
• What does x2 = 2x mean?
• It means that, for the function x2, the slope or "rate of
change" at any point is 2x.
• So when x=2 the slope is 2x = 4, as shown here:
• Or when x=5 the slope is 2x = 10, and so on.
• Note: sometimes f’(x) is also used for "the
derivative of":
• f’(x) = 2x
"The derivative of f(x) equals 2x"
 Notation

• "Shrink towards zero" is actually written as a

limit like this:

"The derivative of f equals the limit as Δx goes to

zero of f(x+Δx) - f(x) over Δx"
Or sometimes the derivative is written like
this (explained on Derivatives as dy/dx ) :

• The process of finding a derivative is called

"differentiation".
 Derivative Rules

• Derivative Rules
• The Derivative tells us the slope of a function
at any point.
• The derivatives of many functions are well
known. Here are some useful rules to help you
work out the derivatives of more complicated
functions (with examples below). Note: the
little mark ’ means "Derivative of".
Common Functions Function Derivative
Constant c 0
x 1
Square x2 2x
Square Root √x (½)x-½
Exponential ex ex
ax ax(ln a)
Logarithms ln(x) 1/x
loga(x) 1 / (x ln(a))
Trigonometry (x is in radians) sin(x) cos(x)

cos(x) −sin(x)
tan(x) sec2(x)
sin-1(x) 1/√(1−x2)
tan-1(x) 1/(1+x2)
Rules Function Derivative

Multiplication by constant cf cf’

Power Rule xn nxn−1

Sum Rule f+g f’ + g’

Difference Rule f-g f’ − g’

Product Rule fg f g’ + f’ g

Quotient Rule f/g (f’ g − g’ f )/g2

Reciprocal Rule 1/f −f’/f2

Chain Rule f(g(x)) f’(g(x))g’(x)

 Second and Third Derivatives
• We can derive the function 2nd and 3rd times
• f(x)=x4+3x3+5x2+6x+3
• f’(x)=4x3 +9x2 +5x+6
• f’’(x)=12x2 +18x +5
• f’’’(x)=24x+18
 Gradient of a Curve
• Gradient of a curve at a point can be find by
the first derivative of the function
• Substitute the relevant point value
• Eg:
– f(x) =x2 +2x +4
– f’(x) =2x +2
– At the point x=1
• f’(1)=2(1) +2
– =3
 Maximum and Minimum

• If the value of second derivative at a relevant

point is
>0 -: function has a minimum at the point
<0 -: function has a maximum at the point
 Determine set values of x in which the function is increasing and
decreasing y
40

20

x
-6 -4 -2 2 4

-20

-40

-60

-80

The function decreases when

The function increases when

 The nature of stationary point
10
y

Find the point on the curve

8

when its tangent line has a

6

gradient of 0. 4

x
-10 -8 -6 -4 -2 2 4 6 8 10

-2

-4

-6

-8

-10

Stationary point is a point where its

tangent line is either horizontal or
vertical.

How is this related to 2nd differentiation?

 10
y

x
-10 -8 -6 -4 -2 2 4 6 8 10

-2

Find the point on the curve when its

-4

tangent line has a gradient of 0.

-6

-8

-10

How is this related to 2nd differentiation?

 Find the point on the curve
y
when its
tangent line has a gradient
5.5
of 0.
5

4.5

3.5

2.5

1.5
x
-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 1 0.5 1 1.5 2

What is the nature of this point?

This point is neither maximum nor

minimum point and its called
STATIONARY POINT OF INFLEXION
 How do we apply these concepts?
Find the coordinates of the stationary points on the curve
y = x3  3x + 2 and determine the nature of these points.
Hence, sketch the graph of y = x3  3x + 2 and determine the set
values of x in which the function increases and decreases.

What are the strategies to solve this question?

 5 y

–6 –4 –2 2

–1

–2

–3
 Application

• Finding minimum and maximum is the practical application of derivatives

• There are no specific rules………..
• But we can use

• STEPS
• Draw a diagram with different variables
• Write down the relationship between the variables
• Identify the variable which should maximize or minimize
• Write down identified variable as a function of the other variable
• Get the first derivative of function
• Find the turning points(find values for the variable)
• Select the suitable value for the variable
• Get the second derivative
• Substitute the value of variable and find the minimum or maximum
 Example
• The width of a rectangle is 16cm and length is
21cm.student wants to make a cuboid by cut
off 4 square from corners. Find the length of a
side of square while cuboid has maximum
Volume??????
21

16
 Example
• {X ; 0<x<8}
• Volume=v
• V=x(16-2x)(21-2x)
v=2(168x-37x2 +2x3) (v can be written as function of x)
V’=2(168-74x +6x2)
=4(3x-28)(x-3)
Turning points(values of x)
X=28/3 x=3
0<x<8 so x=3
 Example
• V’’=2(-74+12x)
=4(6x-37)
X=3
=4(6(3)-37)
=-76 <0
So when x=3
V has a maximum
How do we apply these concepts to solve real-life problems?

An open tank with a square base is to be made from a thin

sheet of metal. Find the length of the square base and the
height of the tank so that the least amount of metal is used to
make a tank with a capacity of 8 m3.

What are the strategies to solve h

this question? x
x
• Derive a function from surface area and/ or volume
area.
• Express the function in one single term (x)
• Use the function to identify maximum or minimum
value.
An open tank with a square base is to be made from a
thin sheet of metal. Find the length of the square base
and the height of the tank so that the least amount of
metal is used to make a tank with a capacity of 8 m3. h

The Volume shows relationship between x

the height (h) and length (x) of the tank x

Since the amount of the metal needed

depends on the surface area of the
tank, the area of metal needed is
Express S in terms of x